Cheap + Tight: How I Made it Work Anyway

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Shop this look: Skirt | Similar Sweater | Booties

Do you remember what Forever21 was like in 2008?

It had a sparkly floor, clothing racks as far as the eye could see and a jewelry section with a giant chandelier. I would often drive three hours just to be there and gaze at all the beauty. Then I could scoop up whatever I wanted, because it was so dang cheap!

There were so many great tops and jackets (OH THE JACKETS!!).

So what’s changed?

Probably (honestly) me. I’ve watched my taste shift from trendy and cheap to craving more classic and sturdy. Like needing fiber for my closet. Good thing that doesn’t sound like I’m getting older!

Forever21 has changed too, but only because that’s the nature of their business. They’re here to provide us trends. And it seems the trend is now to wear shirts that stop half way down your torso. Yay.

I still wander in there.

I made myself a promise (you were there, it’s in a blog post somewhere) that I would always shop at Forever21 no matter my age. Because the jewelry is great. I often snag pieces that look like they came from J. Crew for less than $10.

Or hey, this skirt! It was $8.

And while it is tight (like TOO MUCH INFORMATION tight) I rose to the style challenge and made it work…for a Sunday morning…at Church!

Here’s how I did it…

Knowing the length and straightness this skirt would bring to my frame; I knew it would need to be severely balanced out with some volume. Enter: this waterfall sweater that thankfully covers my bum. That made the skirt a little less sexy office assistant and a little more mother appropriate.

You know what else would work? This vest.

Because the skirt is so long, you want something that does cover your bum, but doesn’t go much longer past that. Too much length can drag your whole frame down.

To continue the volume up top, I went with a loose gray shirt. I tucked it in for a couple of inches just to define my waist. Again: it’s all about balance and I needed to balance all of that volume I had added with a defined waist. I didn’t want to get swallowed up!

In the spring this can also work with a shorter kimono and maybe some taupe booties instead of black. Just remember…Balance is key!

And know that 30 years from now you’ll still bump into me, shopping for cheap jewelry and possibly really tight skirts ;)

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A Flattering Party Look

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Skirt and Shoes: Forever21 | Necklace: The Loft | Photos: Southern Roots Photography

Believe me when I say this skirt will hide every flaw from the waist down.

*Side note: This post first appeared December 2015, which was four months after I had a baby. At the time I had lost less than 7 pounds of baby weight. So believe me when I say – this skirt hides things. :) Continue…

What makes this skirt so flattering is that it sits right around my waist line, skimming past all the things that as women, we sometimes like to hide. Things like wide child-bearing hips, an ample bum and a “had a baby or thought about having a baby at some point” pooch.

The skirt hides all of that and highlights the smallest part of the waist. And because it’s a-line, the volume makes your waist look even smaller by comparison, so really this skirt is a weight-loss program all by itself.

Do note, when you wear a skirt like this higher up on your torso, you’ve got to really be careful not to slouch. If you slouch your boobs will become one with the top of the skirt and no one wants to see that. Not even your mother.

Pair a voluminous skirt like this with little volume on top – so a gray t-shirt and statement necklace works perfect!

And while I’m not at all a bow person, I couldn’t help myself when it came to these cute heels.

A skirt like this makes dressing for the holidays easy breezy.

Pick yours up at Forever21 in West Town Mall. Do it fast because in the history of Forever21 a knee-length skirt has only been spotted once or twice! ;-P

Similar skirt. Similar necklace.

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A Patterned Skirt and a Well Layered Little Boy

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A patterned skirt and a well dressed little boy are probably two things on a long list of my favorites (a list which also includes bread and the sound of walking through snow).

They also happen to be two of the things I’ve written about on the Knoxville Families Magazine website this month. I wanted to provide the links to those articles so you can enjoy.

The skirt came from Forever21 in West Town Mall, and Jackson’s outfit came from…all over the place but mostly Old Navy and GAP Kids.

A patterned skirt can do a lot more than you realize. Read what all it can go with and what it can do for a last minute look.

And while I’m not unearthing fashion secrets with this next post, my hope is that it will help inspire looks for little boys in your life.

Once you’re done reading those, be sure to read about the perfect shopping outfit. It is, after all, shopping season! Whoop whoop!

 

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A Very Flattering Party Skirt

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Skirt and Shoes: Forever21 / Necklace: The Loft

 

Believe me when I say this skirt will hide every flaw from the waist down.

Before I go proving that, let me first apologize for the lack of outfit posts. For an outfit post you must first, you know, have a picture of an outfit. The reason for my lack of picture outfits is hanging out in his crib right now cooing over his toes.

But thankfully with the help of the uber talented Brittany at SouthernRootsPhotography, I’ve got some really awesome pictures that I’m explosively excited about. If you want to know what that means…well you don’t it’s just embarrassing.

Side note: Besides being a top-notch photographer, Brittany is so friendly and easy to get along with. She is exactly the person you want on the other side of the camera and will make you look good. Go here to schedule your next family session with her. She does maternity shoots, engagement photos, wedding, birthdays – you name it. She can take a picture of your pile of laundry and make it look good. Don’t tell anyone why you would want a picture of your laundry because that’s weird.

Back to the skirt…
What makes this skirt so flattering is that it sits right around my waist line, skimming past all the things that as women, we sometimes like to hide. Things like wide child-bearing hips, an ample bum and a “had a baby or thought about having a baby at some point” pooch.

The skirt hides all of that and highlights the smallest part of the waist. And because it’s a-line, the volume makes your waist look even smaller by comparison, so really this skirt is a weight-loss program all by itself.

Do note, when you wear a skirt like this higher up on your torso, you’ve got to really be careful not to slouch. If you slouch your boobs will become one with the top of the skirt and no one wants to see that. Not even your mother.

Pair a voluminous skirt like this with little volume on top – so a gray t-shirt and statement necklace works perfect!

And while I’m not at all a bow person, I couldn’t help myself when it came to these cute heels.

A skirt like this makes dressing for the holidays easy breezy.

Pick yours up at Forever21 in West Town Mall. Do it fast because in the history of Forever21 a knee-length skirt has only been spotted once or twice! ;-P

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Thanks & Giving Part III

This week I’m devoting all of my thankfulness to things found in my closet. It’s fun to take stock of the things you truly appreciate in there. And I’m not talking about the pair of jeans that makes your butt look really good (although I am very thankful for those). I’m talking about the deeper sentimental pieces.

Here’s what I’ve got…

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1. Ring

I wear this ring often. It is my Grandmother’s wedding band. Out of all my grandparents, she was the one I got to know the most. She was a beautiful woman with impeccable style. I think of her every time I put it on, and am so thankful for the woman she was because I believe my love for clothes was passed down through her!

2. Necklace

This Tiffany necklace was a gift from my brother and sister for my college graduation. When you change majors and then move states, your collegiate career suffers greatly. When it was finally time for me to graduate it felt like such a huge accomplishment. I’m so happy to have this gorgeous classic necklace to remember that milestone.

3. Shoes and Skirt

Over the past two years I’ve learned in the deepest way possible to lean on God and trust in Him even when things don’t go as planned. And you know, even in the middle of hard times He’s shown Himself to be strong and faithful. Both of these items were found and purchased during some rough patches and they’ve quickly become two of my favorite pieces. I love them even more for the fact that when I see them it reminds me that God never fails. Plus they make me smile because I believe He led me to them as a way of encouragement right when I needed it.

Giving:

Well, honestly I don’t have a specific example of giving from this week. After starting this series I’ve come to realize how beneficial it can be having a check point like this to evaluate what I’ve given over a week’s span. I plan on checking up on this more often because I want to continually and purposefully bless others!

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